Rush week has finally come to an end and with it comes both the love and hate from students on campus. Rush week is one of the most stressful and exciting times for Potential New Members (PNMs) and those already in Greek life. The week is just full of anxiety.  Greek life has been at Millikin for a while now, and with traditions like the Dive and the Plunge, it has many mixed opinions among students.

If you ask students involved with Greek life, you will hear nothing but wonderful experiences and the common phrase, “it was the best decision I made since coming to college.” They will tell you about fundraising for a great cause and feeling loved and accepted by their brothers and sisters. Greek life is also a great place for networking, and according to members, one of the best ways to live out the college experience. The men and women in Greek life wear their letters with pride.

Ask a non-Greek member, and chances are you will get a completely different response. You will hear arguments of “why would you want to pay for friends?” or “If you go Greek you will abandon all your non-Greek friends.”

This rivalry recently extended to the popular app, Yik Yak, where you can see either hate or love for Greek life. The main argument Greek members use against the hate is “looks like someone didn’t get a bid.”  That’s pretty harsh, but it’s also harsh to hate on something people consider to be life changing. Not getting a bid isn’t the end of the world anyway. It’s not always a one-try deal, and many students have great college experiences without going Greek.

Personally, I can see both sides, but I love Greek life.  I won’t lie, I went through rush week, so I might be a little (or mostly) biased. I can see how it seems like your brothers and sisters aren’t really your friends when going through recruitment, but it is also my strong opinion that members new and old will say it is completely false. After a week straight of worry and stress, being welcomed home is one of the best feelings in the world. Is Greek life for everyone? Of course not, and there isn’t anything wrong with not going Greek.

Basically, if you want to go Greek, do it! If not, that’s just as awesome! You do you.